Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday accused the Election Commission of being in a “jugalbandi” with the BJP and described developments surrounding the West Bengal bypolls as a “murder of democracy” and “absolute totalitarianism without accountability”.
Sibal said the arrest of Congress' Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan was a “daylight murder of democracy” and alleged that the developments reflected a lack of institutional accountability.
“This jugalbandi with the Election Commission and the government, these attacks on democracy, these dictatorial decisions, and these one-sided decisions by the Speaker -- how long will this continue?” Sibal said at a press conference in Delhi.
“The entire country is watching this spectacle, and what happened in West Bengal makes it seem that democracy has become hollow, and our institutions have also become hollow,” the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.
Sibal said the Election Commission announced on September 7 that by-elections would be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, along with other constituencies.
On September 13, TMC's Sanchita Pradhan Dey filed her nomination from Nandigram, while Rabiul Alam Chowdhury filed his nomination from Rejinagar, he said. The Congress candidate in Nandigram was Milan Pradhan and the BJP candidate was Hasirani Rath, Sibal said.
“On the evening of September 17, the ECI froze the TMC symbol. This is also an extraordinary thing to look at -- the election had already been announced, and in the meantime, the symbol was also frozen,” he said.
Sanchita Pradhan subsequently met Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and withdrew her nomination, Sibal said.
Following her withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee's faction announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan on September 18 at around 4.30 pm, he said. Between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm the same evening, Pradhan was arrested in connection with an alleged 2007 incident based on warrants issued in 2021 and 2023, Sibal said.
Sibal described the arrest as a “murder of democracy” and alleged that it highlighted the absence of institutional accountability.
He criticised the conduct of the Election Commission and state authorities in West Bengal, describing the developments as an “ugly nexus” and “absolute totalitarianism without accountability”.
“This kind of waltz of the ugly, the waltz of the EC and the state … will continue, this murder of democracy will continue, this absolute totalitarianism with accountability will continue, biased decisions by tribunals especially in the context of the Speaker will continue. How long will this continue, how long will democracy tolerate this?” Sibal said.
Tracing the internal dispute in the TMC, Sibal said that on May 6, 2026, 70 MLAs unanimously elected Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as Leader of the Opposition and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.
On June 3, 58 MLAs claimed a split and sought recognition for Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition and Akhruzzaman as Chief Whip, he said.
While Mamata Banerjee's faction submitted its reply on July 2, the Election Commission repeatedly granted extensions to the rival faction, Sibal said.
Sibal alleged that the Election Commission deliberately delayed its decision through July and August until announcing the by-elections, knowing that court intervention is restricted once the election process begins.
He accused the Election Commission of working “hand in glove” with state and central powers and appealed to it to uphold its constitutional oath and maintain public trust.
Congress' Nandigram by-election candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested for his alleged involvement in at least four cases related to rioting, murder and criminal intimidation that were filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement, according to police.
He was arrested from a hotel in Chandipur in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district along with another party leader, Subhasish Bhattacharya, on Friday evening.
Bhattacharya was arrested for allegedly preventing the police from apprehending Pradhan.
The cases include three registered at Nandigram police station and one at Khejuri police station, under sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.
(With inputs from PTI)
